Without warning or time to prepare, millions of parents are now homeschooling their children for the first time thanks to the novel coronavirus. While the COVID-19 situation is unprecedented, there’s nothing inherently new about school at home. Thousands of families do it every day, but for those parents who find themselves in the difficult position of suddenly having to transition from their kids going to school each day to not being able to leave the…
If you want to be a writer, chances are you’re also a voracious reader. Many writers have dedicated their time to writing books about writing books, and there is so much to learn from their advice. Here are my top 5 picks for books about writing. On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft–Stephen King. Part memoir, part master class by one of the bestselling authors of all time, this volume is a revealing and practical…
It’s no secret that many kids don’t consider math to be their favorite subject. Luckily, there are methods available to make math fun for students. Here are 5 ideas to make math fun. 1. Create a different grading system. There are alternatives to letter grades, of course. Part of the issue with math for students is that, due to it’s binary, yes or no, right or wrong system. However, that doesn’t mean your grading system…
Ava had always felt comfortable at the small, private K-8 school she attended just north of Boston, but in high school everything changed. Ava first began to experience anxiety and depression after her parents divorced when she was still in grade school. These problems increased as she entered her teen years, and became even more severe in ninth grade, when she enrolled at Cambridge Rindge & Latin School, a vast campus with nearly 2,000 students.…
Young people today face a staggering number of elaborate financial decisions, but most of them are not yet ready to make well-informed choices about money as they proceed into adulthood. According to a 2014 study, 3 out of 4 young adults can’t answer simple financial questions. While helping students develop traditional academic knowledge is useful for every child’s future, teaching students about financial literacy can be the difference between a life well lived and a…
Looking to keep your kids busy over the April break? Check out our list of fun-filled activities happening around Boston. Trolls World Tour Movie Premiere and Character Meet When: Sat 4/18 Where: Braintree AMC – 121 Grandview Road, Braintree Time: 10am – 1pm Age: all ages Cost: $17 Kids, $22 Adults. Kids 2 and under are free Come enjoy a private screening of Trolls World Tour and meet Poppy and Branch! Tickets include a movie…
When kids at Warner Arts Magnet Elementary School act up, they aren’t sent straight to the principal’s office. Instead, many students at the high-poverty school in Nashville go to the mindfulness room. The serene space is awash in sunlight and brimming with plants. There are yoga mats, toys, a lounging nook and soothing music drifting out of a desk speaker. In this room, teacher Riki Rattner, who is also trained as a yoga instructor, helps…
Since the large bulk of schoolwork involves reading and writing, students who are learning with dyslexia often experience anxiety around schooling, especially when called on to read aloud or when they are expected to read or write large amounts of material. Many report feeling low self-esteem and believing that they are unintelligent or will never have the skills to succeed. Even when the proper diagnosis is handed down and intervention works, school life continues to…
Climate change, also known as global warming, has received much attention. It is also a source of much controversy. Yet while debate continues about how to best understand and manage our changing climate, scientists agree that it does have an impact. In fact, one of the essential principles of teaching climate change to students is the message that it has consequences for the earth and human lives. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration…
For many families, reading is a pleasurable activity when kids are young, but then as kids get older, they start to hate reading. Parents are more aware than ever that strong reading skills are fundamental to academic success. Teachers also feel pressure to make sure students are reading on or above grade level, often with their evaluations and salaries hanging in the balance. On top of it all, kids may be quick to claim they…
